Former R.I. champ Jared Donaldson falls in US Open debut

Tuesday

Aug 26, 2014 at 8:19 PM

Jared Donaldson, the 17-year-old former Rhode Island Interscholastic League boys tennis champion, showed the promise that has him as the top-ranked U.S. teenager in tennis in his US Open debut on Tuesday afternoon.

Sports Staff

Jared Donaldson, the 17-year-old former Rhode Island Interscholastic League boys tennis champion, showed the promise that has him as the top-ranked U.S. teenager in tennis in his US Open debut on Tuesday afternoon.

Donaldson fell, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, to 20th-seeded Gael Monfils, of France. Donaldson managed to break Monfils in the third set, tying the set at three games apiece, but Monfils broke back and went on to close out the match.

"He was tough," Monfils said after the match, according to the tournament web site. "He has a big forehand. I was surprised that his forehand was that heavy."

Donaldson won the R.I. Interscholastic League singles tennis championship as a freshman at Ponaganset High School in 2012. He now splits time between Chepachet and Irvine, Calif.